Positive Private-Sector Job Growth For 39-Straight Months

ELLENTON, FLORIDA — Governor Rick Scott today announced that Florida businesses have created 801,100 private sector jobs since December 2010.

In January 2015, 14,600 private-sector jobs were created across Florida. The state’s annual job growth rate has exceeded that of the nation since April 2012, and Florida’s unemployment rate for January 2015 was 5.7 percent. Governor Scott made the announcement in Ellenton at FELD Entertainment, a production company that announced their relocation from Virginia to Florida in 2012.

Gov. Rick Scott

“We are excited to announce that Florida businesses added more than 800,000 private sector jobs since December 2010,” Governor Rick Scott said. “Florida’s exceptional economic turnaround makes it clear that we are enacting policies to help businesses grow and giving families opportunities to achieve their dreams in Florida. We will keep working to cut taxes and make Florida the global destination for jobs. I also look forward to traveling to California next month to tell shippers that Florida is the best place for business and why they should move here.”

Every March, the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releases revised historical employment (jobs) and unemployment rates based on a benchmarking process to adjust the data. These benchmark revisions are mandated by BLS and take place this time every year in every state. This process introduces new population inputs from the most recent Census and other revisions to economic data which leads to changes in the original estimates.

The benchmarked 2014 jobs data showed that the state created more private sector jobs than were originally estimated. More than 275,000 new private sector jobs were added in 2014 alone, nearly 50,000 more than originally estimated.

Jesse Panuccio

“Over the last four years, Florida’s economic resurgence has resulted in a steadily falling unemployment rate, robust private-sector job growth, a growing labor force, record job demand, and rising consumer sentiment,” Jesse Panuccio, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said. “Today’s report for January 2015 is an indicator that Governor Scott’s economic policies are continuing to promote job growth and help people get back to work.”

More Floridians Getting Back to Work

Florida’s unemployment rate has declined or held steady for 52 consecutive months.

Florida has created 801,100 new private sector jobs since December 2010.

Florida job postings compiled by the Help Wanted OnLine data series from The Conference Board showed 279,244 openings in January 2015.

Home Sales Robust

Home sales remain robust as the backlog of existing homes on the market is down by 32.5 percent from December 2011 (Florida Realtors).

Florida median home prices were up 7.4 percent over the year in January 2015.

Florida building permits were up 1.6 percent over the year in January 2015.

Workforce Boards Assisting in Employment

In January, Florida’s 24 regional workforce boards reported more than 35,500 Floridians were placed in jobs. An individual who receives employment and training assistance through a CareerSource Center and finds a job within 180 days is deemed a placement and may be reported by a regional workforce board. Of these individuals, 5,799 previously received Reemployment Assistance.

In 2014, 470,534 individuals were placed into jobs through the regional workforce board, including more than 23,986 veterans.